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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. last — finally
  3. tube — a container
  4. last — to go on
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. tear — to rip
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mug — a cup
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. last — final
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bank — for money
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bank — of a river
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com